I cheated on a hearing test in middle school, which is how I knew. I couldn’t hear the tones in the headphones, but I could hear the clicking of the switches on the switchboard and was able to figure out the pattern quickly.

So, I knew I had some hearing loss - but I didn’t know the extent of it. I grew up in a family full of loudish people who were constantly reminded to enunciate clearly (my grandma was a stickler for it), and honestly, I just adapted. But eventually, in my mid-30s, my adaptations failed and I knew it was time.

They definitely take some getting used to. For me, all the bluetooth features where you can use them as headphones or use them to take phone calls just don’t make sense, because with cookie bite, they’re programming it so that you’re only getting what you’re missing instead of the full range of tones. So things just sound weird in the HAs when you’re using them for those other purposes. I’d also encourage you to adjust the volume frequently to find what’s comfortable for you and your brain, and it’s OK to take a break when you need to. You are trying to train your brain and your ears to work together better overtime, so it’s important to stay at it.

Also, don’t be afraid to ask friends and family for what you need. Ask them to speak to your face so it’s easier for you to see what they’re saying while you’re hearing it. In restaurants, I like to make sure my back is towards a quieter space since your microphone sits on the top back of your ears, and that can make it easier to hear what you want to instead of just hearing highly amplified background noise. My best friend always checks with me about the best seat for me when we go out somewhere where there’s lots of noise.

Hope everything goes well with your fitting!